Welcome to Villa Emilia (My Woodland Garden), a photography blog with a slant towards gardening and nature. An amateur gardener and photographer, I hope to share beautiful moments with you through pictures. Let me know if you like them!

16.4.2018

Favourite birds and other handsome fellows - Huhtikuuta

Turdus merula

Hello all! Above is my best (ever) photo of a (Eurasian) blackbird. In this post, there are several photos that are best-ever, first-ever or first-this-year. Some photos aren't very good, like the one of the (European) Robin below, but since it's a bird I never saw when I was a child, I'm thrilled every time I see one.

The (Eurasian) jay is not my favourite bird (it for example raids the bird feeders, if possible)... but it is fascinating too. "Its usual call is the alarm call which is a harsh, rasping screech and is used upon sighting various predatory animals, but the jay is well known for its mimicry, often sounding so like a different species that it is virtually impossible to distinguish its true identity unless the jay is seen." (Wikipedia)

All the animals and birds (except the swans) have been photographed through a window. By sheer fluke, I happened to have a camera in my hands when I saw this stoat moving rapidly (checking for food perhaps). Behind our house, the snow (fallen from the roof) hasn't been moved away. So below you see the animal on a snowbank just outside a window. You can also see some ash and sand we use to help the snow melt quicker.

Jouluruusut paljastuvat lumen alta.

Helleborus orientalis

An aircraft flying over us. I think there's written "Pakistan" on the belly. Trying to study the routes, I now believe it was the flight from Toronto to Karachi, which operates on Sundays. Hello, Canada! Hello, Pakistan! :) How small is the world...

A thuja has overwintered indoors. Its green leaves make me happy throughout the year.

49 kommenttia:

Hi dear Sara!What a good surprise finding your post before go to work!Beautiful pictures to brighten my day!We live in absolutely different worlds...Both are beautiful...I always pray God to stay alive...Have a blessed week,Sara!

This is great coverage of a range of organisms, Sara, but the most striking of all is the white phase of the stoat, something I have never seen. In total contrast is the very handsome, melodic Blackbird, and thank goodness you are now seeing signs of spring with little shoots coming out of the ground. We have just gone through an awful ice storm this weekend, so I am sure much early development has been arrested. Enjoy the week ahead. David

Dear Sara,such mesmerizing photos of birds and stoat. The photos of aircraft and the flying swans you have succeeded so well. I can see the snow with you. At least at home you have something green.I wish you a great week, too. All the best and big hugs ... Dorothea :-)

Hello Sara!I see you were so lucky to take photos of swans, stoat and jay. By the way a jay that lives near my garden always say as a cat :-) Mjau, miau. Once I was looking around to find a cat, but it was a jay on a branch. Ha Ha!I've never seen a stoat in nature, only on the painting by Leonardo da Vinci -)Have a nice week!

You are an extremely talented photographer! Taking pictures of birds and animals in general requires so much patience! You really manage to capture the beauty that lies in nature, even with elements that are taken for granted such as the water drops or a small sprout! Even the plane becomes poetic through your camera, and the unexpected car driver is so funny! Thank you for sharing beauty with us!

Those first days of spring when delicate shoots come up are so welcome. Beautiful photos from your window, Sara. Does the stoat change colour over the year? I didn't realize they were pure white. I hope spring soon rushes in for you.

Thank you, Lorrie!In its northern range, the stoat adopts a completely white coat (save for the black tail-tip) during the winter period. In summer, the fur is sandy-brown on the back and head, and white below. Happy spring! Yours is very beautiful.

Lovely photos, Sara. The last one did give me a little chuckle. I love all the bird captures but your photo of the stoat is definitely something else - lovely! There are glimmers of spring in your photos here and I hope you see its return soon.

my precious Sara will you believe that i did notice for sure but until i finished the post and start writing comments all was waving in my mind just your magical photography after posting and leaving whole day i was oh God i forgot the most important thing to mention in my comment ,the plane which was quite easily readable in your brilliant shot and i don't know how you did this ? :)

thank you so much for mentioning the name and displaying it with your effort lenses eighter you are AMAZING my dearest friend!

Ha the crazy poodle does that if we leave him in the car... mind you not half as impressively, as his nose hardly reaches the steering wheel. What lovely photos, I was trying to read what the swans had written on their bellies (joke!)Wren x